


The Long Morrow

by Ceares



Category: Shelter - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-28
Updated: 2012-11-28
Packaged: 2017-11-19 18:10:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/576179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ceares/pseuds/Ceares





	The Long Morrow

About six months after they move in together, they go out to a restaurant with a full Mariachi band. Shaun's new book features, among others, a man obsessed with the music. A few days later, Zach brings home a bright yellow, ornately decorated guitar. Shaun puts it on the wall in his office, a sharp contrast to the muted colors and tame decor. The character eventually winds up getting cut from the story, but he keeps the guitar. It's bright, sharp color and intricate patterns remind him of Zach.

 

They've been arguing a lot lately over stuff important--Cody's future--and trivial--whether they're eating in or going out. He's doing rewrites, which he hates and Zach is stressing over finals. There's an unnamed frustration woven into every conversation, and even though they do their best to keep it from Cody, he's fretful, sensing the tension despite their efforts.

And now they're gone and it seems like it should be easier to catch his breath, should be relief but it's not. It seems like the worst time in the world for them to visit Jeanne. He can't shake the small part of himself that feels like they won't come back. Logically he knows it's not true, knows nothing about their relationship is even close to being over, knows it's just a period of adjustment, but logic doesn't whisper to him in the middle of the night.

 

He can't sleep. The house is too quiet--and when he finally gets tired of tossing and turning in a too big bed, and goes downstairs--too clean. Nadia comes in once a week because they might be gay, but Zach is nobody's idea of neat and they have a small child. It's only been a few days since they left but she's already been there and as Shaun wanders through a house that seems twice as big without them in it, he misses Cody's toys scattered on the rug--Voltron is his current obsession and Shaun and Zach haunt eBay looking for action figures. He misses Zach's sneakers, kicked off by the door as soon as he comes in, and the ever present sketch pad open on the coffee table.

He can't sleep, so he might as well work, and once he's in his office, he feels himself settling a little. Nadia mostly leaves it alone, and though it's his office, his family is more here than anywhere right now. He runs a hand over the misshapen heart paper weight Cody made him in class, glances at the bright yellow guitar on the wall. He manages to get almost five thousand words done by the time sun comes up. He gets a cup of coffee and sits on the back patio, watching it rise. He smiles when the phone rings.

"Hey."

And the voice that whispers doubts into his ear at night is silent, drowned out by the pleasure in Zach's voice. They're staying at a hotel. Shaun insisted, despite Zach's protests. She's Zach's sister and Cody's mom but he knows how things are between them and he wanted them to have a safe place to bolt if things got too much. He and Jeanne tolerate each other, but underneath they still kind of hate each other. Ironically enough, for the same reasons. Zach and Cody. That's the only reason he didn't go. His presence there would only make things harder, make her stubborn when she shouldn't be. But it still feels like he should be with them.

"How's it going?"

"Good. Cody's excited about going to the zoo. For some reason he's convince the animals up here will be completely different." He pauses. "We miss you though.

"i miss you guys too. You'll be home soon though." And maybe he can finally sleep.

Zach sighs. "Two days.

They talk about nothing. The minutiae of their life, and Cody comes on and then they're gone. Off to start their day.

 

Gabe shows up at his door, grin wide and open. "Come on bro, we're going out."

"Gabe."

Gabe wags a finger in his face. "Uh-uhn. Stop brooding and get dressed."

"I'm not brooding."

"Really? Cause Zach called me and said you were brooding. Your chicks are gone and you're locked up in here writing 'all work and no play' over and over again."

 

Shaun laughs in spite of himself. "Fine, we'll go out. Then you can report back to Zach that I'm having a wonderful time without them."

He and Gabe close down the bar, and Gabe crashes in the spare room.

It's been over a year since he's done that. Since he's done a lot of things and he doesn't really miss them. A ready made family hadn't been in his plans but it was Zach and Shaun could no more pass up a chance he never thought he'd have than he could stop breathing. At first, Cody was just part of the package. Shaun hadn't expected to fall in love with him too.

So now, he gets not so much of that--late nights, partying, spontaneous trips--but a lot of this--tucking Cody in, watching TV with him curled up between them, runny noses and schedules and arguing over stupid things. It's nothing he ever planned for and everything he can't live without.


End file.
